Introduced European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Domestic Cats (Felis catus) on Robben Island: Population Trends and Management Recommendations

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.S. de Villiers ◽  
S. Mecenero ◽  
R.B. Sherley ◽  
E. Heinze ◽  
J. Kieser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Population Trends ◽  
Island Population ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
European Rabbits ◽  
Management Recommendations ◽  
Robben Island

DIstribution and Abundance of the Rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), at Subantarctic Maqaurie Island

1981 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 597 ◽  
Author(s):  
GR Copson ◽  
NP Brothers ◽  
IJ Skira
Keyword(s):  
Water Surface ◽  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
Free Water ◽  
Behaviour Pattern ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Free Water Surface ◽  
European Rabbits ◽  
Breeding Seasons

Rabbits are common on 50% of Macquarie I. and live mainly in herbfield. Considered to be of domestic origin, they retain the basic behaviour pattern of wild European rabbits, although there is a tendency towards diurnal grazing activity. Since 1974 their numbers have been monitored by surface counting at 12 2-ha sites. In the five years to December 1978, when myxomatosis was successfully introduced to the island, numbers peaked in the 1977-78 summer, due to good breeding seasons in 1977, 1978 and earlier. Mortality of kittens was high in each year as a result of predation (by feral domestic cats, skuas and wekas) and because burrows become saturated or even flooded following rises in the free-water surface. Predators probably take similar numbers of rabbits each year, and overall recruitment of young into the population is mainly controlled by the effects of wet burrows. However, after the age of 1 y survival is high, and longevity may be 3 or more years.

Ecology of the Feral Cat, Felis Catus (L.), (Carnivora:Felidae) on Macquarie Island.

1977 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 249 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Jones
Keyword(s):  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Giant Petrel ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Macquarie Island

On Macquarie Island from December 1973 to March 1975 the diet of feral domestic cats (Felis catus) was estimated. There was rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in 82% of faeces and 71% of guts, rabbits under 600 g bodyweight, about 10 weeks old, were 81% of all rabbits eaten. There were Antarctic prion (Pachyptila desolata) and white-headed petrel (Pterodroma lessonii). Cats ate small numbers of rats, mice and wekas and scavenged on dead elephant seals and penguins, especially in winter. Availability of food in winter seemed to be an important factor limiting the population; adult population was estimated to be 250 to 500 and the area of the island is 120 km2. Prion and white-headed petrel nest in burrows; there was little or no predation by cats on surface nesters such as albatross, giant petrel, southern skua or southern black-backed gull, or on live penguin.

Nine ways to score nine lives – identifying appropriate methods to age domestic cats ( Felis catus )

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Fleming ◽  
Heather M. Crawford ◽  
Clare Auckland ◽  
Michael C. Calver
Keyword(s):  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cats

scholarly journals Domestic cats (Felis catus) prefer freely available food over food that requires effort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikel M. Delgado ◽  
Brandon Sang Gyuc Han ◽  
Melissa J. Bain
Keyword(s):  
Home Environment ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Strong Preference ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Size And Shape ◽  
Activity Tracker ◽  
Feed Tray

AbstractContrafreeloading is the willingness of animals to work for food when equivalent food is freely available. This behavior is observed in laboratory, domesticated, and captive animals. However, previous research found that six laboratory cats failed to contrafreeload. We hypothesized that cats would contrafreeload in the home environment when given a choice between a food puzzle and a tray of similar size and shape. We also hypothesized that more active cats would be more likely to contrafreeload. We assessed the behavior of 17 neutered, indoor domestic cats (Felis catus) when presented with both a food puzzle and a tray across ten 30-min trials. Each cat wore an activity tracker, and all sessions were video recorded. Cats ate more food from the free feed tray than the puzzle (t (16) = 6.77, p < 0.001). Cats made more first choices to approach and eat from the tray. There was no relationship between activity and contrafreeloading, and there was no effect of sex, age, or previous food puzzle experience on contrafreeloading. Our results suggest that cats do not show strong tendencies to contrafreeload in the home environment, although some cats (N = 4) ate most food offered in the puzzle or showed weak contrafreeloading tendencies (N = 5). Eight cats did not contrafreeload. Cats who consumed more food from the puzzle, consumed more food in general, suggesting a relationship between hunger and effort. Further research is required to understand why domestic cats, unlike other tested species, do not show a strong preference to work for food.

Do prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) change their activity and space use in response to domestic cat (Felis catus) excreta?

Mammalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Keane ◽  
Phillip J. Long ◽  
Yasmeen Fleifil ◽  
Nancy G. Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Space Use ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Odor Cues ◽  
Risk Of Predation

AbstractBehavioral changes that reduce the risk of predation in response to predator-derived odor cues are widespread among mammalian taxa and have received a great deal of attention. Although voles of the genus Microtus are staples in the diet of many mammalian predators, including domestic cats (Felis catus), there are no previous studies on vole space utilization and activity levels in response to odor cues from domestic cats. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate responses of adult prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) living in semi-natural habitats to odor cues from domestic cat excreta. Contrary to expectations, neither adult males or females showed significant changes in space use or willingness to enter traps in response to cat odors. One hypothesis to explain our results are that prairie voles have not co-evolved with domestic cats long enough to respond to their odors. Other possible explanations include whether levels of odors in the environment were sufficient to trigger a response or that the perceived risk of predation from odor cues alone did not outweigh relative costs of changing space use and activity levels. Future studies should consider multiple factors when determining what cues are sufficient to elicit antipredatory behavior.

Bells reduce predation of wildlife by domestic cats (Felis catus)

2006 ◽  
Vol 256 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme D. Ruxton ◽  
Sarah Thomas ◽  
Jessica W. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cats

Feeding ecology and population dynamics of the feral cat (Felis catus) in relation to the availability of prey in central-eastern New South Wales

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Molsher ◽  
Alan Newsome ◽  
Chris Dickman
Keyword(s):  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Minor Components ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Central Eastern

The diet of feral cats (Felis catus) was studied at Lake Burrendong, central-eastern New South Wales, from July 1994 to June 1997. Mammals were the major prey in 499 scats that were analysed. Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were the staple prey, while carrion was an important secondary food. Invertebrates, other mammalian prey, vegetation, birds and reptiles were generally minor components of the diet. Few significant seasonal differences in diet were found; however, invertebrates contributed less and possums more to the diet in winter and summer respectively. A significant dietary response was found to changes in rabbit abundance, but not for the other prey types. Cats continued to prey heavily on rabbits even after a 90% decline in rabbit abundance occurred, which coincided with the advent of Rabbit Calicivirus Disease (RCD). House mice (Mus domesticus) increased in importance in the diet ten months post-RCD. Although the abundance of cats was correlated with the abundance of some prey species, other factors may have influenced the observed patterns; these are discussed.

scholarly journals Coinfection by Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania spp. in domestic cats (Felis catus) in State of Mato Grosso do Sul

2014 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 796-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Rennó Campos Braga ◽  
Ana Paula Ferreira Lopes Corrêa ◽  
Lucilene Granuzzio Camossi ◽  
Rodrigo Costa da Silva ◽  
Helio Langoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Leishmania Spp ◽  
Mato Grosso Do Sul

scholarly journals Road kills of vertebrate fauna in Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

2019 ◽  
pp. 152-154
Author(s):  
Sohail Anjum ◽  
Hazrat Ali ◽  
Awais Ahmad ◽  
Farzana Bibi
Keyword(s):  
Gallus Gallus ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Survey Period ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ◽  
Vertebrate Fauna ◽  
The Road ◽  
Capra Aegagrus

Research on road kills of wild animals in the district of Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan has not been previously reported. This study was conducted to estimate the incidence of vertebrate fauna road-kills on a heavily used 22 km long stretch of the road within the study area. A total of 65 road kills of vertebrate animals were reported during a 7-month-long survey period. Overall, road kills of nine species were reported with the highest percentage being domestic cats (Felis catus) and the lowest percentage being goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) and fowl (Gallus gallus).

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